WOONSOCKET, R.I., Nov.15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --As part of its continuing efforts to help communities affected by Hurricane Sandy, CVS/pharmacy is waiving prescription copayments, deductibles and other financial liability related to prescription medications for patients who cannot pay at selected stores in the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York City and surrounding communities. This copay waiver program, which began on Monday, November 12 and will run until the end of the month, is being undertaken with the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the New York City Office of the Mayorand the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/NE50800LOGO ) In addition, CVS/pharmacy is operating a mobile pharmacy at the site of its closed store at 88-07 Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Rockaway Beach, NY. This facility will also participate in the copay waiver program. This program is not a blanket waiver of all copayments. Requests to cover medication costs will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The stores participating in the copay waiver program are listed below. CVS/pharmacy ADDRESS CITY, STATE TELEPHONE See more here: CVS/ pharmacy Making it Easier for Customers to Access Prescription Medications in Communities Affected by Hurricane ... … Continue reading →

The owner and co-founder of the New England Compounding Center, the pharmacy at the center of a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak, declined to testify before a congressional hearing today. When pressed by members of Congress on his role in ensuring safe and sterile products, Barry Cadden invoked his Fifth Amendment right. On advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer on the basis of my constitutional rights and privileges including the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, he saidat the hearing in Washington, D.C. The House of Representatives had subpoenaed Cadden to the hearing to address the outbreak that has sickened 461 people in 19 states and killed 32.The outbreak has been traced to contaminated vials of methylprednisolone acetate, an injectable steroid used to treat back and joint pain made by Caddens pharmacy. But the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations panel became clearly frustrated with the testimony of U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg. Republicans lawmakers noted inspections of NECC going back to 2002 that found sterility issues at the facility, and asked why the FDA had not taken action against the pharmacy. You are in charge of the FDA. You are the chief … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (AP) The owner and director of the specialty pharmacy tied to a deadly meningitis outbreak declined to testify Wednesday morning before a congressional committee investigating the matter. Barry Cadden, co-founder of the New England Compound Center, told lawmakers he would use his Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions in order to avoid self-incrimination. After repeated questioning by House lawmakers, Cadden told the House Energy and Commerce Committee: "Under advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer under basis of my constitutional rights and privileges, including the Fifth Amendment." Lawmakers continued to ask Cadden questions about the contamination that has sickened nearly 440 people and caused 32 deaths. The NECC has been closed since early last month, and Massachusetts officials have taken steps to permanently revoke its license. The pharmacy has recalled all the products it makes, including 17,700 single-dose vials of a steroid that tested positive for the fungus tied to the outbreak. Fungal meningitis causes inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Inspections last month by state and federal officials found a host of potential contaminants at NECC's facility, including standing water, mold and water droplets. Compounded drugs are supposed to be prepared in … Continue reading →

Susan Walsh / AP Barry Cadden, president and co-owner of the New England Compounding Center, shown being sworn at a House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee hearing on Nov. 14, took the fifth and refused to testify. By Maggie Fox, NBC News The owner of a pharmacy at the center of an outbreak of fungal meningitis caused by contaminated pain drugs that have killed 32 people and made 461 people sick refused to testify at a packed hearing on Wednesday, and managed to avoid facing the family of his first victim. Barry Cadden, president, co-owner and director of pharmacy for the New England Compounding Center, remained in a separate room with his lawyers while the wife of his first victim testified, then managed to avoid her in the hallway as she left the committee room. He took the fifth, invoking his constitutional rights not to testify -- even when asked whether he was the owner of the pharmacy. Robbed of a chance to confront Cadden, members of the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee instead spent hours berating the Food and Drug Administration. Despite their outrage over the growing toll from the outbreak, Republican members of the committee made it … Continue reading →

CINCINNATI and LAKE MARY, Fla., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (KR) today announced it will acquire the outstanding shares of Axium Pharmacy Holdings, Inc., a leading specialty pharmacy, to create a merger of the two companies. Founded in 2000, Axium provides drug therapies and patient-support services to treat chronic, genetic and other complex medical conditions such as cancer, Hepatitis C, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis and numerous other chronic care conditions. This partnership gives Kroger significantly enhanced capabilities to serve customers who require complex drug therapies, and to deliver those therapies at greater value to customers and insurance payers. Financial terms were not disclosed. "Kroger and Axium are a strategic fit as we look to enter the high-growth specialty pharmacy business," said Lincoln Lutz, Kroger's vice president of corporate pharmacy. "The combination of Axium's expertise and Kroger's 1,950 pharmacy locations, 91 Little Clinic locations, and pharmacists who provide health coaching, biometric screening and other wellness services will deliver positive health outcomes for our patients, cost savings for insurance payers, and unique services for physicians." Strong Growth Opportunity Specialty pharmacy is the primary area of growth in pharmaceuticals. Revenue for specialty drugs has grown from $17 Billion in 2000 … Continue reading →

Published: Nov. 13, 2012 at 10:27 PM WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. health officials say a six-week investigation found the pharmacy linked to the meningitis outbreak that killed 32 people has a long history of violations. Investigators from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said they observed many serious deficiencies and significant violations of law and good compounding practices at the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., dating back more than 10 years. Besides the 32 fatalities, there have been 438 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis in 19 states among about 14,000 patients administered drugs from NECC. The Massachusetts company has recalled all products made at its Framingham facility. The U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations released a 25-page report on the history of NECC's regulatory issues in advance of a public hearing Wednesday in Washington titled "The Fungal Meningitis Outbreak: Could It Have Been Prevented?" "Some of the violations observed by regulators as early as 2002 include the company's failure to maintain adequate safeguards for sterile injectable products -- the very issue at the center of the current meningitis outbreak," the report said. … Continue reading →